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[leleslibrary]

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Only When It’s Us is a new adult romance by Chloe Liese. It feels like shades of Pride and Prejudice, wherein our protagonists make poor first impressions and then spend a good majority of the book antagonizing one another.

I do love Ryder and Willa. Willa holds a special place in my heart, especially, as one of the main plot points of the book is that Willa’s mom has cancer. Having lost one of my own parents (COPD/CHF not cancer) this part of the story had a profound impact on me, and I loved how the story allows the FMC to experience that grief without interference from the MMC.

I also really love the trajectory of the relationship and the story, in that there is no third act breakup, and the main drive of the story is the whether the couple will actually be in a relationship, instead of “maintaining” an already existing one.

I was pleased with this story, enough to intrigue me into reading further books by this author in this series. (I really want to read Rooney’s story, given I am a sucker for the side character’s stories.)

[leleslibrary]

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

There are several things that I enjoyed about this book, and one of them is the mental illness representation—in the form of generalized anxiety in the FMC, Chandler, and OCD in the MMC, Finn. Few books tackle a MMC with mental health issues and I really appreciated the way that this one did. I have no experience with OCD, so I cannot speak to its veracity, but the anxiety rep was pretty close to my own experience, and felt like it was treated respectfully.

I also liked the subversion of expectations regarding Finn’s skills in the bedroom. It’s nice to read something where it’s not all 100% orgasmic from the start, and the couple grows together to learn what they need and like in that regard.

As far as the couple goes, they seemed so healthy in their communication, and in how they treated and respected one another. I love that there wasn’t a traditional third act break up. My only issue is that it all felt a little tepid, chemistry wise.

[leleslibrary]

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This book was giving “Escaping From Houdini” by Kerri Maniscalco and I was about to be so disappointed. The ending salvaged the book for me, but not by much.

Foxglove picks up after Belladonna, and deals with Fate stepping in and throwing a wrench in the works between Death and Signa, by causing trouble with the Hawthornes. Fate is looking for his long lost dead love, Life. He believes Life has been reincarnated into Signa and will stop at nothing to tear her away from Death and have her be with him instead.

These kind of shenanigans, as in EFH, always tend to have the MMC love interest be sidelined, or weakened in some manner, and having to bow or cower to the Secondary Love Interest, Because Plot™️. And it really frustrates me as a reader. Up until probably the last two chapters, I was reading with such a scowl on my face, I was so mad. I chose to read this because I enjoyed Death and Signa, not because I wanted to read some new character cause Drama™️ because he could.

Thank God for Blythe disrupting all his plans. But honestly, I was frustrated with her and Signa as well. I hate the miscommunication trope so much, and it turns out I don’t just hate it between couples, I also loathe it in friendships. I swear most of the turmoil throughout this book could have been solved in a minute if only Blythe and Signa had sat down and had a freaking conversation.

I didn’t hate the ending, but it was fairly predictable, at least for me, as I had guessed from the beginning which character was Life reincarnated. I probably will read Wisteria, the upcoming third installment, if for no other reason than to see Blythe put Aris Dryden in his place. He is a loathsome character to me right now. Perhaps that will change. Anyway, if you like being extremely frustrated with character actions and want to throw something at them, then this is the book for you!

[leleslibrary]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

“I will always need her, I realize. I will need the memories of the way she loved me, especially in moments like this when I can still feel that love in full force.”

I love Emma Lord’s books because they always have such depth to them emotionally. There is always a “journey” to be taken with the characters she writes, and she does it so beautifully.

I absolutely adore Andi and Milo’s friendship throughout this story—that their relationship begins with friendship, and deepens over time; that they share deeply painful things with one another and help each other through their respective journeys—it’s beautiful and precious.

I despise Connor, and I guessed one of the plot twists right off the bat. But the rest of the characters are lovely, and also have such depth to them. This book had a lot of humor as well, especially the part where Andi accidentally decaffeinates the entire student body. I cracked up at that part.

If you like fun reads with emotional depth to them, I recommend this book for you.

[leleslibrary]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I saw this book recommended as similar to “Divine Rivals” by Rebecca Ross, and I can totally see where you get that comparison. I loved this book. The setting and world building and lore were unique and fresh. The supporting characters were absolutely lovable. Mercy’s family are hilarious, and Hart’s apprentice, Duckers, is so precious I want to squeeze him.

I love that Mercy isn’t a damsel in distress who needs the “Hero” to save her. She is able to work through the main conflict she’s facing (with the help of her sister and ex boyfriend [and a hemorrhoid pillow]) and take care of her problems mostly on her own.

The part where I thought this could have used some work was in the transition from enemies to lovers. It felt a bit like a switch had been flipped, and I felt it could have been more gradual and natural. I do love Hart and Mercy though, and while I didn’t see the ending coming the way it did (which was nice because I can usually predict things coming a mile away), I was very pleased with how it worked itself out.

Highly recommend if you like enemies to lovers tropes, secret pen pals, lady undertakers, and semi-fantastical settings.

[leleslibrary]

currently reading: My Roommate is a Vampire - Jenna Levine

just finished: Only When It’s Us - Chloe Liese